Detachable self wedging shelf divider



Sept 20, 1960 P. sTRElT 2,953,258

DETACHABLE SELF WEDGING SHELF DIVIDER Filed sept. 5, 1957 2 sheets-sheet1 EL?. l

Pau/ zfe/V'f b. lj 4MM, @mA-W @m55 Sept. 20, 1960 P. sTRElT 2,953,258

DETACHABLE SELF' WEDGING SHELF DIVIDER Filed Sept. 5, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet 2 panel.

United States Patent Office' Patented Sept. 20, 1960 DETACHABLE SELFWEDGING SHELF Drvmnn Paul Streit, Aurora, lll., assigner to AuroraEquipment Company, Aurora, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept.5, 1957, Ser. No. 682,212

2 Claims. (Cl. 211--184) This invention relates generally to a followerblock or divider construction for shelving and the like.

lIn the past, many people have -tried to place liles'on shelves, butthis practice has never been entirely satisfactory because asatisfactory follower block or divider has not previously been developedwhich is suitable for this purpose. In order for the files to beproperly supported upon the shelf, the tiles must have lateral support.If files are to be satisfactorily carried upon the shelves, lateralsupport means -must be provided for cornpensating for when at least someof the tiles are removed from the shelf or for when the shelf is notcornpletely loaded.

According to the present invention, the follower block or divider iscomprised of a wire strip having resiliently yieldable legs andretaining portions disposed at the end of each of the legs so that whenthe legs are deflected out of a normal position, the retaining portionsmay be engaged within channel structure along the confronting margins ofthe shelf panel. Upon the release of the leg portions, the retainingportions are allowed .to move outwardly into tensioned engagement withthe confronting channel structures at the outer periphery of the shelfThe present follower block or divider construction has been found to behighly satisfactory since the follower block can be very readily movedside ways or longitudinally along the length of the shelf as the numberof tiles are increased or decreased, and the instant a load is placedagainst the follower block or divider, the divider will not slide ormove longitudinally of the shelf as the divider is firmly secured inplace by the retaining portions.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a follower blockor divider for shelving which may be very readily moved sideways as thetiles are expanded or contracted, and which maintains itself in positionupon the application of a load against the divider.

` Another object of this invention is to provide an economicallyconstructed follower block or divider which may be readily manufactured.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a follower block ordivider construction which may be very readily assembled and may beeffectively utilized with shelving despite the usual manufacturingtolerances in equipment of this type.

According to the general features of this invention, there is providedin a shelf structure with a series of stacked shelves with the shelvesincluding a shelf panel having confronting shelf channel structuredepending from opposite marginal edges of the shelf, a shelf dividercomprised of a wire strip having a main channeled portion includingresiliently yieldable leg portions and retaining portions comprising endportions of the Wire strip being connected to the ends of theresiliently yieldable leg portions. The retaining portions areengageable in assembly with the confronting shelf channel structurealong the opposite marginal edges of the shelf panel so that upon thedeflection and release of the resiliently yieldable leg portions the legportions are sprung causing the distance between the retaining portionsto be reduced when in assembly with the confronting shelf channelstructures as compared to the distance between the rctaining portionswhen the retaining portions are disengaged from the shelf and when theforces applied to leg portions are released. Each of the retainingportions includes a spacer leg angularly extending away from theyieldable leg and a looped terminal including a free tip end whichlooped terminal engages against inside surfaces of the channel structurein snug assembly therewith.

Figure l is a side elevation of a follower block or divider forshelving;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of a cabinet or shelvingstructure with .the follower block or divider in assembly therewith;'

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially onthe line III-III of Figure 2 looking in the direction indica-ted by thearrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary partially crosssectioned viewillustrating the looped terminal portion in full and dotted lines withrespect to the shelf channel when in assembly; and,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom end view of the divider orfollower block illustrated in Figure l.

As shown on the drawings:y

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally my detachable self-wcdgingdivider or follower block for shelving. In the illustrated form, thedivider 10 is shown as comprising a single strip of material preferablyof a resilient metal construction. The shelf divider includes a mainchanneled portion 11 which channeled portion is illustrated as beinggenerally VU-shapecll and includes resiliently yieldable lleg portions12, 12 which leg portions are resiliently yieldable or flexible in themanner shown in Figure 1 by the full and dotted lines. Retainingportions 13 are connected to the leg portions 12 which retainingportions comprise the terminal ends of the wire strip or rod going tomake up the divider 10.

-As is clearly shown in Figure l, the leg portions 12 are adapted todiverge outwardly with respect to one another with the retainingportions .13 disposed at the outer ends thereof. The retaining portions13 are disposed generally at right angles with respect to the legportions 12. Each of the retaining portions includes a spacer leg 14which is disposed generally at right angles with respect to the legportion ,12. Connected to the outer terminal ends of the spacer leg 14are looped terminals 15, each of which diverges away from the adjacentleg 14, and which may be disposed in parallel planes with respect to thedivergent leg 12 regardls of whether or not the leg portion 12 isresiliently stressed.

The looped terminal portion 15 is comprised of a series of connectedsegments 15a, 15b, 15e, and terminal segment 15d. The terminal segment15d has a terminal edge 16 which faces in a direction away from thechanneled portion 11. As is clearly apparent in Figure 4, the segments15a and 15e are disposed in generally parallel relation with respect toone another on each of the retaining portions 15.

The divider or follower block 10 is adapted to be used with a shelvingstructure 20 of the type shown in Figures 24. The shelving structure iscomprised of a series of vertical posts 21-21 which are linked togetherat vertically spaced intervals by shelves 22-22. The shelves may befastened to the vertical posts in any suitable manner, such as by meansof screws 23-23.

With respect to the present invention, it will be appreciated that theshelving structure 20 is more or less a conventional structure. It willfurther be appreciated,

however, that the novel divider 10 is adapted to coopf erate with themore or less conventional shelving structure 20 in a completely newmanner.

Each of the shelves 22, as is most clearly seen in Figure 3, iscomprised of a main panel portion 22a,

which has disposed about its peripherycontinuous flanges` ange 22e. Iheanges 22b and 22C cooperate withthe..

main panel 22a to define a channel designated generally by the referencenumeral 2S. This channel 25 is illustrated as extending about theperimeter of the shelf 22, and includes opposed or confronting channelsegmentsl 25a and 25b which are cooperable with the divider 1i).

(Figures 3 and 4).

Parallel opposite portions 22a and 22e of the channel 25 are adapted tocooperate with the retaining portions 15 of the divider 10 when thedivider 10 is assembled with the shelving structure 20. When the divideris in assembly with respect to the-channel 25, it will be noted that theretaining portions 13 both cooperate with the channel in much the samemanner. Accordingly, the same reference numerals are applied to both ofthe retaining portions.

In the assembly of the divider 10 with the shelf 22, the leg portions12, 12 are moved toward one another in a manner to allow the retainingportion --15 to be engaged within the opposite channel surfaces on thechan nel portions of the channel 25. When the divider is in assembly,the spacer leg 14 is engaged against the underneath or lower insidesurface of the main panel 22a. In addition, the outside surfaces of thelooped portions 15a, 15b, 15e, and 15d are engaged against the inside orlinking surface of the flange 22b. Finally, the bottom surface of thelooped portion 15e is engaged against the upper inside surface of theflange 22e.

To move the divider between the posts 21-21, each of the leg portions 12adjacent their junction with spacer leg portions 14 may have forcesexerted thereagainst alternatively so that the retaining portions 13 mayslide along the channel surfaces which define the channel 25.

Once the proper spacing of the dividers is attained, the

dividers 10 are extremely difficult to move, since when a load is placedagainst the divider the retaining portions will not slide as they holdvery firmly in place with respect to the channel 25. Thus, the divideror follower block can be moved sideways as files of the type shown at 26in Figure 2 are expanded or contracted so that the tiles may besupported in position, and so that the load of the tiles will not causethe dividers to be moved out of the position that they have been placedin.

When a force is applied in the direction indicated by the arrow inFigure 4, against the divergent legs 12, the spacer leg 14 and thesegments 15a resiliently flex and pivot with respect to the arcuatesegments 15b on the retaining positions 13 and the segments 15e act asbackups for the segments 15a.

As will be perceived from Figure 3, when the divider is in assembly withrespect to the shelf channel portions 25a and 25h, the legs 12 aredisposed in generally parallel relation with respect to the shelfsegments 22b and at generally right angles with respect to the portionjoining the legs 12 together.

Where the shelf is approximately 12 inches wide and it is desirable tohave the divergent legs have a length of about lOl/z inches, the wiremay have a diameter of about 'OHG of an inch, and the wire or rod mayhave an overall length of about 25 inches. The distance between thelooped portions 15 may measure about 141/2 inches when the deflectablelegs 12 are in a normal position free of the shelf 22.

I have, in the drawings and specification, presented a detaileddisclosure of the preferred embodiment of my invention, and it is to beunderstood that I do not intend to limit the invention to the specificform disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications. changes andalternative constructions falling within tl. scope of the principlestaught by my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a shelf structure with a series of stacked shelves with theshelves including a shelf panel having c onfronting shelf channelstructures depending from 0pposite marginal edges of the shelf and witheach channel structure having three inside channel surfaces, a shelfdivider removably mounted on the shelf structure comprised of a wirestrip having a main channeled portion including resiliently yieldableleg portions and retaining pertions comprising end portions of the wirestrip being connected to the ends of the resiliently yieldable legportions which retaining portions are engageable in assambly with theconfronting shelf channel structures4 a?h the opposite marginal edges ofthe shelf panel upon t e deflection and release of the resilientlyyieldable leg portion in such manner that the leg portions are sprungcausing the distance between the retaining portions to be reduced whenin assembly with the confronting shelf channel structures as compared tothe distance between the retaining portions when the retaining portionsare disengaged from the shelf and when the forces applied to legportions are released, each of said retaining portions including aspacer leg angularly extending away from the yieldable leg and a loopedterminal disposed generally in. a vertical plane which looped terminalengages against the three inside channel surfaces of the channelstructure in snug assembly therewith, the spacer legs being engaged withthe underside of the shelf panel and being cooperable with the retainingportions to resist sliding of the shelf divider relative to the shelfpanel.

2. In a shelf structure with a. shelf including a main shelf panelhaving channel structure defined by spaced upper and lower channelsurfaces joined together by a linking channel surface, a detachableself-wedging divider carried on the shelf structure, the divider havingresiliently deflectable spaced legs which are joined together at one endand which have opposite end portions of their legs bent away from thelegs in opposite directions with respect to one another and engagedagainst the underside of the main shelf panel, retaining loopedterminals connected to the opposite end portions, each of the loopedterminals being disposed generally in a vertical plane and being freelymovable back and forth in unison with the leg with which each of thelooped terminals is immediately connected in lthe assembly and removalof the divider with respect to the shelf, said retaining loopedterminals each having outside surfaces which surfaces are in retainedengagement with the upper and lower and linking channel surfaces wherebythe retaining looped terminals are engaged with the channel structureand the end portions of the legs are engaged with the underside of themain shelf panel to the end of securing the divider in assembly with thechannel structure and to prevent accidental slippage of the dividerlongitudinally of the shelf,

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 691,628Hoffman Ian 21, 1902 935,560 Stone Sept. 28, 1909 999,974 Fauth Aug. 8,1911 1,188,227 Woods June 20, 1916 1,336,490 Staples Apr. 13, 19202,346,150 Brown Apr. 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 848,331 France Oct. 26,1939

